Locking and operating mechanism for doors



3, 1937- c. F. YOUNG 2,089,011

LOCKING AND OPERATING MECHANISM FOR DOORS Filed March 27, 1937 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 i Ii I g & c

INVENTOR.

)Vwz/K ATTORNEYS Aug. 7- c. F. YOUNG 2,089,011

LOCKING AND OPERATING MECHANISM FOR DOORS.

I N V E NTOR.

WM ATTORNEYS Aug. 3, 1937. c, F, Y UNG 2,089,011

LOCKING AND OPERATING MECHANISM FOR DOORS Filed March 27-, 1937 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN VENTOR.

WM! A I'TORNEYi Aug. 3, 1937. c. F. YOUNG LOCKING AND OPERATING MECHANISM FOR DOORS Filed March 27, 1957 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 1 NV E NTOR.

llllllllllllllllilll qnmuu lllllill lllll WMWM ATTORNEYS,

Au 3, 1937. c. F. YOUNG LOCKING AND OPERATING MECHANISM FOR DOORS GSheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR.

WMKWM ATTORNEYS,

Aug. 3,1937. c. F. YOUNG LOCKING AND OPERATING MECHANISM FOR DOORS Filed March 2'7, 193? 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 A LIU INVENTOR.

WMKWM ATTORNEYS,

Patented Aug. 3, 1937 UNITED STATES LOCKING AND OPERATING MECHANISM FOR DOORS Charles Fountain Young, Covington, Ky., as-

signor to The Stewart Iron Works Company, Covington, Ky., a corporation of; Kentucky Application March 27, 1937, Serial- No. 133,439

8 Claims.

This invention relates to locking and operating mechanism for sliding doors, operable from a remote point or station, for controlling a plurality of doors of cells or compartments of prisons or other institutions of confinement.

In order to facilitate operation of the doors, it has been the practice in the past to arrange the cells in rows, each cell of the row opening to a common corridor. This practice has been followed because of the necessity of disposing the sliding doors in a straight line with respect to the control unit, since the control levers for locking and operating the doors move in a di- F rect line with respect to the control unit, which is usually located at one end of the corridor.

Naturally, the limitation of the control mechanism to straight line operation handicapped the architect or designer of such buildings, so that conveniences and advantages of other arrangements of cell blocks and corridors have had to be sacrificed in the interest of the control system. In instances where a section of cells or doors not in line with the main group were operated, a separate control system was required, or if only a few doors were involved they might be operated manually.

It may be seen, therefore, that the design and arrangement of doors and corridors has been subordinated largely to the control system,

305 where mechanical control and operation of the doors were required, and also that the location ofthe control station must accommodate the system, rather'than the convenience of the operator. The present invention is directed to a door operating and locking mechanism which overcomes the above mentioned difficulties. It has been an objective of the invention to provide an arrangement of mechanism for operating and locking sliding doors either selectively or simultaneously, which permits the installation of the doors in any desired location or angle with respect to each other or with respect to the locay tion of the control station.

the provision of a sliding door operating system in which the control station is positioned at an advantageous location to enable the operator to see the prisoners and the movement of the vari- Q ous doors.

In addition, the invention is intended to facili-s tate the operation of sliding doors from a central point by providing mechanism which may be extended to areas somewhat removed from 5Tthe main groups of cells to operate doors which normally would require additional control stations.

It is the concept of the present invention to provide mechanism associated with a locking and 9.? operatin System for doors which will accom A further objective of the invention has been modate any arrangement of cells and doors which may be desired. The doors may be made to slide in opposite directions and the distance of movement of the various doors or groups may be greater or less, as determined by the width of the doors and openings. Parallel groups of doors are controlled unitarily in the same manner. The various doors or groups are operable at any desired angle depending on the arrangement of the cell blocksi Further objects and advantages will be more fully set forth in the description of the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a diagrammatic floor plan of a group of rooms orcells, vestibules and corridors, compactly arranged, showing the location of doors for the several compartments and the operating and control mechanism for the doors of the group, whereby'the doors can be either selectively or simultaneously operated from a single point or control station. The arrangement discloses doors relatively in parallelism, others relatively at an angle and moving in either of alternate directions.

FigureZ is an enlarged plan View of the mechanism employed for making a right angle transmission connection for door control and operation, located withinsection A of the plan, Figure 1, to which the control and operating transmission branches areconnected for operating the doors within said section of floor plan.

Figure 3 is a sectional view of the mechanism illustrated in Figure 2, taken on line 3, 3 of'Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a plan view of a section of the transmission means for door control and operation for a plurality of doors at relatively opposite sides of a corridor, having the same direction of travel and located within section B of the floor plan, Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5, 5, Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken on line 6. 6. Figure 4.

Figure '7 is a sectional View taken on line 1, 1, Figure 4.

Figure 8 is a sideview of the parts shown in Figure 7.

Figure 9 is ,a'plan view of the transmission mechanism for operating a third set of doors, located within section C of the floor plan, Figure 1.

Figure 10 is a vertical sectional View taken on line to, Ill, Figure 9 t Figure 11 is a centralhorizqntal sectional view taken through the gearing, shown in Figure 10.

Figure 12 is a sectional view taken on line l2, l2, Figure 9.

I Figure 13 is a; diagrammatic plan view of the exit end of a rowof cells, in, which the doors of the aforesaid cells travel in relative opposite directions in opening and closing.

Figure 14 is an enlarged top plan view of the supporting bracket for a pair of oppositely mov-' ing rack bars illustrated in Figure 13 and in pinion connection.

Figure 15 is a sectional view taken on line l5, 15, Figure 14.

Figure 16 is a sectional view illustrating the.

mechanism, located overhead.

Figure 19 is a section on line l9, I9, Figure 18.

Figure 20 is a perspectiveview of a door control bar, including a shaft carrying a key for selective control of the door.

Figure 21 is a front elevation of the door control and actuating mechanism housed within a casing at one end of the control system.

The doors are of sliding type and with their operating and locking mechanism are of identical construction. A plurality or group of doors is selectively and simultaneously operated and controlled from a single control station by devices common to all doors.

The control and door operating and locking mechanism are substantially as illustrated and described in Letters Patent issued to me July 10, 1934, No. 1,966,422, for Looking and operating devices for doors. In said patent the improvements were illustrated and described in connection with a plurality of doors in an aligned arrangement, for a group of rooms or cells arranged in a straight row or line at one side of a corridor, the doors all traveling in a corresponding direction in opening and closing.

The present improvement contemplates the embodiment of the door operating, locking and control devices disclosed in said patent, for doors of a group of cells, rooms, vestibules, corridors, and the like, within a compact floor plan other than in a row, wherein some of the doors are in alignment, others in parallelism or relatively angular and moving in alternate directions, all being operated and controlled from a single control point or station most advantageously located for the plan, from which the operator can more readily see the movement of the doors and prisoners.

Figures 17 to 20 inclusive, illustrate a door and its locking and translating mechanism as one of a series of group doors, the door illustrated being adjacent to and in close proximity to the manual control apparatus. These figures exemplify the details of construction and mode of operation, as the construction and operation of the mechanism for one door and the control therefor apply equally to any of the doors of the group.

The door locking and translating devices are duplicated for all of the doors of a group under a common or single control, the present improvements relating principally to the means for reaching all of the doors of a group, irrespective of their relative positions or locations and relative direction of travel for opening and closing. The mechanism illustrated in said figures is substantially the same as correspondingly illustrated and described in the aforesaid patent, to which reference may be had for a more complete description of detail of construction not particularly concerned herein or forming a part of the present improvement.

As the improvement is primarily intended for locking and translating prison doors, the door I is of bar construction and, at its upper end, carries a hanger 2 as a wheeling carriage riding upon a stationary horizontal track or rail 3. The hanging fixtures for the door may be of any type of construction for a free sliding translation of the doors which will secure them against vertical and lateral displacement or dislodgment.

The bottom of the door is guided and laterally confined. The front vertical edge of the door, when the door is closed, engages within a channel of a hollow or tubular jamb 4, which encloses a vertically movable lock bar cooperating with one or more latches extending from the front edge of the door for looking it in its closed position.

A link 6, at one end, is pivotally connected to the hanger or carriage 2 of the door, approximately intermediate of the width of the door, and extends upwardly and forwardly at an angle, having its free end formed for resting upon the upper edge of a horizontal slide bar I when the door is in either of its extreme positions of travel.

The slide bar I is reciprocated for swinging the link into coupling connection with a door translator bar 8, disposed longitudinally above the slide bar I. The slide bar 7 is provided at opposite ends with cam teeth 9, projecting upwardly from the bar for swinging the link into coupling connection with the translator bar upon sliding or shifting the slide bar I in an appropriate direction, and also controls the uncoupling of the coupling link at the opposite extreme ends of the door travel.

The free end of the coupling link 6, when elevated to couple with the translator bar, is at a plane over a stationary guide rail [0, upon which the slide bar is mounted by pins laterally extending from a side of the rail I0, each traversing an elongated slot in the slide bar. In the normal position of the coupling link, its free end is adapted to abut respectively with either of the opposite ends of the stationary guide rail [0 in either the extreme open or closed positions of the door, locking the door against translation until the coupling link is elevated to bring its free end above the ends or terminals of the stationary guide rail. This clears the coupling link and brings it into coupling engagement with the translator bar and over the stationary guide rail If] so that the slightest degree of door translation will prevent the link from dropping out of coupling connection with the translator bar until the door has reached the extreme of its travel in either direction. In its extreme open position the door can be locked against closing by a hook-shaped clasp ll fixed to the slide bar I and in relation to the rear link controlling cam tooth 9 with which the clasp is integrally joined. The clasp prevents the link from being elevated unless the slide bar is appropriately shifted to release the latch from the link, which is necessary to effect a coupling connection of the link with the translator bar.

The door translator bar is provided with a pair of opposingly disposed pivotally mounted coupling pawls l2l2, between which the free end of the coupling link is engaged in making a coupling 75 connection. The pawls permit the coupling of the link upon relative movement of the parts, or permit the door to be thrown absolutely out of connection with respect to either opening or closing control.

A tripper dog 13, pivotally mounted to a stationary support, has an arm cooperating with the slide bar 1 for automatically normalizing the bar by the impact or thrust imparted by the moving door, to shift the cam teeth 9 to a normal posi tion non-interfering to an automatic uncoupling of the link when the door reaches either extreme of travel.

The lock bar 5 is actuated and controlled by a wedge 14 fixed to the upper front end of the door and also by a roller 15 extending laterally from the slide bar 1, cooperating with a cam lug I6 on the top end of the lock bar 5.

The translator bar 3 is reciprocated by a lever I 1, housed within a casing or cabinet l8, pivoted at its lower end to a bracket 13 fixed to the floor or bottom of the casing or cabinet 18. The upper end of the lever is pivotally connected to a link 20, the link 20, in turn, being pivotally connected to the end of the translator bar 8. The control and actuating connection for the translator bar may be located at any other point most advantageous to the group of doors under a common control.

The lever i1 is actuated by a hand-operated bell crank lever 2i, pivotally mounted upon a bracket 22 fixed to a wall of the control cabinet, the lever having anarm 23 slidably connecting with the lever or link i1. When the hand lever 2| is in the position shown in full lines in Figure 1'7, the translator bar 8 is moved to an extreme right or door-opening position, and when in the position shown in the dotted lines, to a complete door-closing position. The lever mechanism provides for convenient and easy operation, and enables the operator to move a larger number of doors without undue exertion. The several extreme positions of the hand lever render the lever mechanism self-locking, making it impossible to shift the actuator bar 3 from any point along its length. or extensions thereof necessary for the group of doors for which it serves.

The slide bar 1 is reciprocated by a selector control rod 24 parallel and coextensive with the translator bar 8 so as to serve a plurality or all of the doors of a group. A hand lever 25 within the control cabinet l8 pivotally connects with the control rod 24, the connection permitting rod rotation for selective door control. The hand lever 25 is pivotally mounted upon a bracket 26 fixed to a wall of the cabinet. The lever swings in relation to a stationary quadrant 21, which is provided with a plurality of notches engageable by a spring urged detent 2B, actuated by a lever 29 pivotally mounted upon the hand lever 25 for locking the hand lever in its several positions of adjustment.

The control rod 24 is rotated by a hand operated gear segment 33 journalled upon a bracket 31 fixed to a wall of the cabinet. The operating handle of the gear segment is equipped with a spring pressed detent engageable with any one of the apertures in a stationary quadrant 32 for locking the gear segment in any one of its several positions of adjustment. The gear segment 30 is in mesh with the lower end of a vertically disposed rack bar 33, slidably sustained. The opposite end of the rack bar is in mesh with a pinion fixed upon the control rod 24.

. The controlrod is provided with keyssuch as shown at 34, one for each door of the series or group. The key 34, as shown in Figures 19 to 20, has a pair of key elements as radially extended tangs or bits 35-36 for extending between a pair of spaced lugs 31-38 extending laterally from a side of the slide bar 1.

One of the tangs or bits, for example, 35, provides for a setting to correspond with similarly positioned bits for all of the doors of a series or group for simultaneously controlling all of the doors. The second tang or bit 33 is positioned for selective control of the doors, and when set to a position between the lugs 31-38 provides for control of a selected door, independently of the other doors of a series or group, or for several selected doors. Each tang or bit 36 projects from the rod 24 at a relatively different position from the corresponding tang of the other doors of the series for individual door control. In operating, each must be successively registered between the lugs 31-38 and the control rod shifted to engage each respective slide bar 1. As shown in Figure 20, the bit 35 is in registry between the lugs for simultaneous operation of all the doors.

The quadrant 32 serves as an indicator for each door of the series or group for setting the key of each door for either individual or collective control. The mechanism, insofar as above described, corresponds substantially to that illustrated in my aforesaid patent and accordingly follows the same in its operation.

The operator adjusts and sets the hand lever of the gear segment 33 in order to bring the keys fixed to the control rod 24 into operative or inoperative position with the respective slide bars 1 for either simultaneously operating all the doors or selected doors of a group. This applies whether the doors are either closed or open, it being possib-le to cut out the operation of any door when open as well as when closed. The hand lever 25 is then actuated to longitudinally shift the control rod shifting the slide bar 1 for elevating the coupling link.

Referring now to Figures 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings, it will be seen that the control mechanism at the section A of the plan, makes a transmission connection at right angles and extends along a wall of a corridor to control doors 39, 4B, 4! and 42. As stated, the door selection is accomplished by rotation of the control rod 24 to bring the proper tangs 35 or 33, into registry with the lugs 31-38. The driving connection between the two sections of the rod 24 for rotation consists of a pair of bevel gears 43 and 44, journalled in bearings 45 mounted on a bracket plate 46. The sections of the rod 24 are slidably keyed to the bevel gears by means of keyways 41 and keys 41 to permit longitudinal shifting of the rods.

The longitudinal shifting movement of the rods is transmitted by a bell crank lever 48, pivoted to the bracket plate in a bracket 49. Each arm of the bell crank lever is bifurcated at its end, and is provided with slots 50 engaging pins 51 of sleeves 53. The sleeves 53 are loosely mounted on the rods and held against longitudinal displacement by the collars 54 pinned to the rod. The shifting of the rods by the bell crank lever, to actuate the slide bars 1, is shown in the dotted lines on Figure 2.

The slide bar 1 for the door 39 is slidably mounted in brackets 55, 55, and a right angle connection is effected by means of a bell crank lever 56 to a slide bar 51. The bell crank lever 56 is pivoted on a bracket 58 and is pivoted to the slide bars I and 51 inslotted lugs 59 by means of pins 69. The slide bar 51 functions to couple a translator bar 61 to door 39 by means of link 6, and operates in the same way as slide bar I,

as shown in Figures 1'7 and 18. For purposes of,

illustration, however, these parts have been eliminated from the views as the present invention is directed to the transmission of motion to these parts.

Movement of the translator bar 8, which is actuated from the control station I8, is transmitted to the door 39 by a shaft BI journalled in bearing brackets 62 and driven by a pinion 63 in mesh with a rack 64 fastened to the translator bar 8. A pinion 55 pinned on the opposite end of the shaft 6| meshes with a rack 99 fastened to the translator bar 61. It will be noted that the door 39, in opening, moves in a direction opposite to that of translator bar 8. This is effected by the opposed relation of the two racks with respect to the pinions, the rack 64 being disposed to mesh over the pinion 93, as shown in Figure 3, and the rack 66 under the pinion 65.

In operation, the racks 64 and 69 will be shifted each time the translator bar 8 is shifted. However, the shifting will not affect the door 39 unless connections have been established to connect the door 39 to the translator bar 61 by means of the selector control rod 24, keys 34, and shifter bar 1, bell crank lever 56 and shifter bar 51.

A pinion 68'is mounted adjacent the bevel gears 43 and 44, and is journalled in bearing brackets 69. This pinion serves as .a driving connection between the translator bar 8 and .a translator bar III. A rack 'I'I secured to the translator bar 8 meshes with the pinion and is slidably supported in a slide bracket I2. Another rack 13 secured to the translator bar I0 meshes with the pinion 68 and is slidably supported in a slide bracket 14. The two racks are positioned in different planes, the pinion 69 being of sufficient width to accommodate both, and in this manner longitudinal movement of the translator bar 8 is transferred to the translator bar ID.

The translator bar I9 extends rearwardly to operate doors 49, M and 42 of section B, shown in Figures 1 and 4. The selector control rod 24 equipped with three keys 34 controls selection of the doors 49, M and 42 by means of the lugs 31, 38, of the slide bars I5, I6, and 11. I5 and I6 effect a connection between the doors 40 and 4| and the translator bar I9, for door operation in a direct line as in the connection shown for the door I, in Figures 17 and 18.

Control and operation of the door '42 is accomplished by means of the cross shafts l8 and I9. The shaft I8 is journalled at opposite ends in the bearing brackets 89 and BI. Connection of the shaft is made to the slide bar TI through the use of a lever 82 secured to the shaft and pivoted to the slide bar by means of a pin 83. The pin is secured in a lug 84 of the slide bar and engaged in a slot 85 at the lower end of the lever 82, see Figure 5. Reciprocation of the slide bar by the key 34 and selector control rod 24 when properly set and shifted is therefore transmitted to the cross shaft I9.

The slide bar 86 see Figure 6, of the door 42 is connected to the cross shaft 79 by a lever 81 fixed to the shaft l9 similar to the connection at the opposite end for unitary movement of the slide bars I! and 86. Y I a The slide bar 86 controls the door 42 by connecting or disconnecting the door-with a -trans- The slide bars lator bar 89. The translator bar 89 is in driving connection with the translator bar 19 by means of the cross shaft I9. The cross shaft I8 is supported at opposite ends in bearing brackets 88 and 89. Pinions 90 and 9| fixed at opposite ends of the shaft mesh with racks 92 and 93 secured on the translator bars 19 and 8? respectively. When the selector control rod 24 is set and operated for the door 42, connection is established by means of the slide bar ll, shaft 18 and slide bar 86 to couple the door 42 to the translator bar 89, and on movement of the translator bar the door will be actuated for opening or closing as desired.

The doors of section C, indicated by the numerals 94, 95, 96, 91 and 98, are controlled and operated by the shifter bar 99, a translator driving shaft I00, a rack bar I9I and a shaft I92. These shafts and bars, by means of right angle connections, transmit the control and operating and uncoupling of the door to a door translator bar I09. (See Fig. 9.)

Referring back to Figure 4 of the drawings, a slide bar I93 is slidably disposed for operation by a key 34 of the selector control rod 24. The shifter bar I93 is in right angle connection with the slide bar 99 by means of a bell crank lever I94 pivoted centrally at I05 to a bracket I96. Each opposite arm of the bell crank lever is pivoted on pins I91 and I08 fixed respectively to the shifter bar 99 and shifter bar I 93. The shifter bar 99 extends to the door 94 for controlling coupling and uncouplinge of the door to a door translator bar I09. (See Fig. 9.)

The translator bar I09 is actuated by a rack and pinion connection, the rack II9 being secured to the bar and driven by a pinion II I. The pinion is driven by a pair of bevel gears H2 and H3 journalled in a right angle bearing bracket II4 which also supports the shaft I09. The bevel gear H2 is pinned to the translator driving shaft I99, the shaft being driven by a pinion I I5 (as shown in Figure 4) in mesh with a rack 5 IS on the translator bar I9. The translator driving shaft I99 is journalled in a bracket II! at the pinion I I5 and has a similar bracket H8 at its opposite end.

When the shifter bar 99 for the door 94 has been operated by means of the bell crank I94 to establish a connection between the door and the translator bar I99, a coupling is effected to the door and movement of the translator bar it] will be transmitted through the shaft I99 to the bevel gears I I2 and I I3 and pinion I I I, to translate the bar I99 for door opening or closing.

The connection of the shaft I99 is extended to a pinion I I9 located at the bracket I I8, the pinion II9 being in mesh with a rack lii] secured to a translator bar I2! which serves to operate doors 95 and 99. Coupling of these doors is accomplished by the selector control rod I22 and keys 34. The keys operate to shift slide bars I23, I24, to effect coupling of the translator bar with the respective doors.

Longitudinal shifting of the selector control rods I22, I44 is effected by rotative movement of the shaft I92, which is in connection with the selector control rod 24, by means of a link connection I25 (see Figures '7 and 8). The link is pinner at its upper end to the shaft I02 and is bifurcated at its lower end and in engagement link I25 permits rotation of the rod'24.

The shaft IE2 is journalled in bearingbrackets translator? bars and hift hars of similar "construction; r i 4 1128 at its-opposite .ends,:and. it is connected tothe :rodaI 22.:by means "of a.link I28similartolink I25 'fortransmitting shifting motionto the-:rod I22.

Rotationzof the controlzrodl22 forselection of tdoors'isasecuredbymeans of the rack bar I0I which is treciprocated by a pinion I29 slidably keyed to the shaftr24' and journalledin'thebracket -I30,;shown in :Figure l.

Atpinion I3 I keyed to the rod 122 and supported by bracket I32, in the same manner as the pinion 'at'bracket I30, transmitslongitudinal shifting of therack rbar to' rotate thexshaftzl 22. Both pinions,

I29 and -I,3I, respectively, :permit longitudinal shiftingof" the selector control rod towhich each is keyed to eifect actuationof .the proper slide bars in the mannerzas'previously disclosed. The sliding "engagement' of the pinions With the selectorgrodsis accomplishedby means of the elongated keyways I33of the selector control rods .24 and I22. The pinions I29'and I3I engage thekey- "ways for adriving connection through the use of keys I134. Each pinion isheld against lateral displacement in its respective bearing bracket I30and I33-by-acollar134* secured on-the hub of each pinion as'illustrated'indetail in Figure 12; Thus selective rotation of the selector con 'trol rod 24 is transmitted'to selector control rod I22. Control and operation of the doors 95 and 06 is accomplished in thismanner.

It will be noted that direction of opening movement of the door :95 is opposite to that of :door :95. -:For this purpose, the movement of the translator bar I35 is reversed with respect to that of translator bar I2I. A bracket I36 houses a pinion 131, the rack I35 being in mesh with this pinion on one side, and the rack I38 of the translator bar I21 meshing at the opposite side of the pinion. The bracket slidingly engages each rack, and also provides a journal for the pinion 131. Thus as the translator bar I2I is shifted in its doortranslating stroke, the motion willrbe translatedto the translator bar I-35 in an opposite direction by means of the pinion I31 and racks I35 and I38, so that the door '96 will slide in a direction opposite to "that of-door95.

The doors 9'! and 93 are actuatedby a common translator 'bar I39, both doors operating in line and :in the same direction. The translator bar 439 is actuated by means "of a pinion I40 in mesh .with "arack'l4'l secured to the translator bar. The zpinion issecured .011 a shaft 'I4I which has'atits opposite end another pinion I42 meshing with a :rack M3 on the translator bar I2I, which serves totransmit the longitudinal shifting of 'thetranslator'bar Ii2I to the bar I39. Connectioncofithe doors-0'I, 98, to the translator bar 139, is accomplished by a selector control rod I44 which"receives its "shifting motion from the shaft I02 by alink connection I45 similar to'that previously described. Rotation for selection of the proper doors is imparted to the rod I44 through a pinionI48 meshing with the rack "bar IOI in the same manner as the connection to the selector control rod I22. The elfect is such that there is unitary rotation of the tworods.

The locking and operating of each door of the series, therefore, is completely under the .control of the operator at the central station. The control/and operation of each door is effected in the same manner as that illustrated in Figures 16 to 21, inclusive, of the drawings, in connection with door I, each door of the series being equipped illustrated in Figures 13 tolfii'inclusive. arrangement consists 'of a: section 'of cells in From the foregoing it is evident that the corridors and cells of the prison "may be arranged according itorany :plan "desired :and provided with doors controlled ifrom a central station. 'The doors are located at any convenient-angle or distance with respect tothe control station to conform with :the arrangement 'of cells in the interest of convenience *and safety. Thus, by the mechanism of the invention, the locking and operating of doorsibf any arrangement, from a remote central? station, is acc'omplished.

A modified arrangement :of "clls and doors is The alignment and :having doors operating in a straight xline but 'tvith alternate vdoors moving in opposite-directions. The doors are adapted to coupleto either one or ithe other vof a pair of translator bars 14! and I48. :Each of the translator bars I41 and I48 is provided with 'a rack I49 'inmeshonppposite sides with a pinion I50 for movement in opposite directions. The pinion is ijournalled in a bracket I5I which includes slide :bearin'gs 152 for the racks I4! and I48. I V V I All of the tdoor's ofthe section are disposed "in the same plane and -are dividedinto two groups of alternate doors, each group '-'moving in an opposite direction. The translatonbars I'4'I'and I48 are'parallel toeach other and spaced somewhat apart, and each is provided with pawls I2, 12. The doors I53 of one igroup couple to the translator 'bar 141 bymeans of the pawls I2, I2, "and link- Fin the usual manner. The doors I54 of the second group couple to the translator bar I48 and pawls 52, I 2, by means of alinkB which' hasa lug I55 projecting laterally outwardly to 'dispose it in the plane of the pawls of the translator bar I48 (see Figure 16),'thus,"each dooris provided with alink havinga lug projecting either to the bar 141 or I 48 alternately." The 'doorson beingcoupled to their respective tra'nslator bars "by" means 5 of the shifter bars will be shifted in opposite directions upon actuationpfthatrahslator bar, from the central station, the translator bar I41 being in driving "connection therewith and transmitting the drive to the translator bar l48 by means o'f the pinion to'reverse its 'direction'of travel.

Having described my invention, I claim:- '1.'A 'door operating mechanism of the class described adapted to open'and close the doors respectively for a group ofcells' arranged along angularly related corridors ycomprising, a door selector and unlocking rod extending angularly and includinga multiplicity of branches corresponding to'the corridorarrangement, said rod beingro tata'bly mounted;' a control lever for translating said rod, a control lever for rotating said rod, a translator bar, said translator bar being angularly extended andincluding a multiplicity ofibranches extendingin the same-manner as said selector'control'rod, 'a -lever for translating said bar, a*door for each cell, a sliding bar forgeach do0r,"c'onnect'er devices having cooperating elements on eachslidiiig bar and each door respectively for interconnection thereof, stop elements on saidselector control rod adapted for rotation, pairs df spaced lugsfon said slide bars adapted to be engaged by the rot'atable stop elements for disconnecting-each door from its respective slide bar, and latching means on the translator bar for each connecter device on a respective door for operation of any one-of the doors of the group as desired, when the selector control rod is rotated to place the corresponding rotatable stop element in door slide bar pick-up positions to operate all of the doors of the group when all rotatable stop elements are in slide bar pick-up position.

2. A door operating mechanism for opening and closing the doors respectively leading to a multiplicity of cells irregularly arranged and opening into corridors which are not in alignment or which are angularly related, comprising, a selector control rod extending angularly and including a multiplicity of branches, a translator bar extending in the same manner as the selector control rod, an individual slide bar for each door, said selector control rod and said slide bars including cooperating means for selective connection of any one of the slide bars to said translator bar, and lever means for translating the translator bar for opening and closing the connected doors, whereby the operator may operate one, or all of the doors from said lever means.

3. A door operating mechanism for opening and closing the respective doors for a multiplicity of cells irregularly arranged and opening into corridors which are not in alignment, comprising, a selector control rod extending angularly and including a multiplicity of branches, some of which extend across the corridors for the operation of doors on either side thereof, a common translator bar extending in the same manner as the selector control rod, an individual slide bar for each door, means between each door and its slide bar for latching the door in open or closed position, said selector control rod and said slide bars including means for selective connection of any slide bar to said selector control rod, means for translating said selector control rod for unlocking the connected doors, and a lever for translating the translator bar for opening and closing the connected doors, said translator bar including interconnection means for selective connection to any of the doors when said door has been unlocked whereby the operator may operate one, or all of the doors.

4. A combination of a group of cells spaced in heterogeneous relationship and having entrances thereto, sliding doors for closing the entrances, a central control station for efiecting actuation of the doors of the cells simultaneously or selectively, a main translator bar at the central station, a plurality of door translator shifter bars, one respectively for each door to be operated, a slide bar for each door to be operated, the slide bars being respectively actuable by the main translator bar, and control means at the central station for coupling and uncoupling said door translator bars with respect to said doors, said translator bar extending angularly and including a plurality of branch lines.

5. A door operating mechanism of the class described adapted to open and close the doors respectively for a group of cells arranged along angularly arranged or disaligned corridors, comprising, a selector control rod extending angularly and including a multiplicity of branches, control means for operating said rod, a translator bar extended in the same manner as the selector control rod, a lever for translating said translator bar the amount of door opening movement, a door for each cell, an unlocking slide bar for each door, complementarylatch devices on each unlocking slide bar and each door respectively for interconnection thereof, cooperating means on the selector rod and each unlocking slide bar for disconnecting each door from its respective slide bar, and latching means between the translator bar and the latch devices of each door for operation of all or one of the doors of the group as desired, when the selector control rod is moved to the particular slide bar pick-up positions.

6. A door operating mechanism for opening and closing the sliding doors for a multiplicity of cells irregularly arranged and extending from corridors which are angularly related or disaligned, comprising, a selector control rod extending angularly and including a multiplicity of branches, a translator bar extending in the same manner as the selector control rod, latching means at each door, said selector control rod and said latching means selective by cooperating for unlocking the doors and connecting the doors to the translator bar, and means for translating the translator bar for opening and closing the connected doors, said translator bar including pawl means for selective connection to any of the latching means of the doors when the doors have been unlocked whereby the operator may operate one, or all of the doors.

7. The combination with a group of cells spaced in heterogeneous relationship and having entrances thereto, of, sliding doors for closing the entrances, means actuable from a central station for efiecting actuation of the doors of the cells simultaneously or selectively, a main selector control rod and a main door translator bar actuable at the central station, a plurality of sections branching angularly from the main selector control rod, and a plurality of sections branching angularly from the main door shifter bar, each extending to the proximity of the doors, the sections of door translator bars being mounted longitudinally with the doors and slide bars disposed in operating relationbetween the door translator bars and the doors, the slide bars actuable by means of the sections of the selector control rods for effecting coupling and uncoupling of the doors to the door translator bars.

8. The combination with a group of cells spaced inheterogeneous relationship and having entrances thereto, of, sliding doors for closing the entrances, means actuable from a central station for efiecting actuation of the doors of the cells simultaneously or selectively, a main selector control rod actuable from the central station for reciprocation and rotation, a plurality of slide bars, a plurality of sections branching angularly from the main selector control rod, each branch including a transmission connection for trans mitting reciprocation and rotation thereto, a main door translator bar actuable from the central station and including a plurality of sections branching angularly from the main door shifter bar, each branch including a transmission connection providing means for transmitting reciprocation of the main door translator bar to each branch, each branch of the door translator bar being mounted longitudinally of the doors and adapted for coupling and uncoupling to the doors by means of said slide bars selectively actuable by means of the branches of the selector control rod.

CHARLES FOUNTAIN YOUNG. 

